The Epic

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The Epic
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What is an epic? The epic
is a narrative poem or extended
narrative which tells the story of a
national hero.
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Characteristics

• Generated by periods of upheaval.
• Principal character is larger than life.
• The setting is huge.
• There is a main character who is, or is capable
  of being, a hero.
• The action includes extraordinary/superhuman
  deeds.
• The hero has a goal and has embarked on a long
  journey.
• Gods/supernatural beings take part or an interest
  in the action.
• The purpose is to teach or inspire the reader
  with examples of how people can strive and
  succeed against great odds.

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Homer was the blind Greek poet who wrote the
Iliad and the Odyssey, two of the most famous
epics ever written. Stories about the war
between the Trojans and the Greeks written
between 900 and 700 B.C.E.
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THE ILIAD -Story of the last year of the Trojan
War -War had lasted 10 years. -Troy was defeated
when Ulysses and his men were able to get inside
the walls of Troy concealed within the body of
the Trojan horse. THE ODYSSEY -Odysseuss
journey home.
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The Trojan Horse
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The Epic Style

• Meant to be sung by men known as rhapsodes.
• Has an invocation the poet/narrator starts the
  poem by stating the storys subject.
• The narrator begins telling the tale In Media
  Res in the middle of things.
• Flashbacks give the reader the entire story from
  the beginning to the present.
• Contains many epithets nicknames of one or more
  words used to describe or identify a person,
  place, event, or object.
• Formal rhetoric Long, formal speeches by
  principal characters.
• Tone and style are formal, not conversational.
• Elevated and figurative language, such as epic
  simile, which can fill many lines of verse.

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• Hero Enters on a Journey
• Departure
• Call to adventure- the point where everything is
  going to change
• Refusal of call- the hero refuses to heed it
• Supernatural aid- hero commits to quest and
  guide/magical helper appears
• Crossing threshold- person crosses into field of
  adventure
• Belly of the whale- the final separation from the
  heros known world and self

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• Hero Enters on a Journey
• Initiation
• Road of trial- series of tests, tasks, and
  ordeals the hero goes through
• Meeting w/ goddess- the point where the person
  experiences an unconditional love
• Woman temptress- may lead the hero to abandon or
  stray from the quest
• Atonement w/ father-must confront or be
  initiated w/ whatever holds ultimate power in
  his/her life
• Ultimate Boon- achievement of the goal of the
  quest

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• Hero Enters on a Journey
• Return
• Resists return- why come back to normal life?
• Magic flight- sometimes must escape w/ the boon
• Rescue- Must have powerful guides to bring them
  back to everyday life
• Crossing return threshold achieve balance
  between material and spiritual freedom to live-
  integrate the wisdom gained on the quest into a
  human life, live w/ balance and free from fear of
  death.

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The End